Merchandise that is bought right is half sold

[sevas]

Ijust came across this sentence in a text and I can't understand its meaning. Does it mean that you will be able to sell the furniture for half of the price you bought it? Well, yeah it sounds stupid. But that's just my assumption.

Thanks in advance

 

[5jj]

If a trader is able to buy the right goods at the right price and/or time, then half the work of selling them has been done already.

 

[BobK]

:up: That's obviously (now) the meaning, but I don't recommend it as a way of transmitting that idea; like th OP, I found it opaque.

Incidentally, that use of 'half' [to mean 'halfway on the road to <some_state> is also used in the saying 'Well begun is half done.'

b